Combination lamp holder and starter holder



Nov. 23, 1944. E. R. KULKA COMBINATION LAMP-HOLDER AND STARTER-HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed'Feb. 6, 1942 3 INQVENTOR. Euqe/ve-R. Kul/ra.

BY 1 v 063 M ATTORNEYS I COMBINATION LAMP-HOLDER AND STARTERHOLDER E. R. KULKA;

Filed Feb. 6, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N INVENTOR. Ewe/v9 R'Kul/ra, I

BY I

ATTORNEYS lamp-holder and starter-holder fora lamp oi. the I to which the combination device is. fixed. iThls or removed without removing the lamp; in which fing 2. f'I'he walls .86 o f said rece areshown in holder, independently of the cover of the body- 01, rear extension la of the starter holde'r I. The

ings, which illustrate preferred embodiments genuine extension .lanxed to thesupport- 6. Y

oi the starter-holder removed.

removed.

Patented Nov. 2 v V UNITED STATES -PATENT OFFICE -1 m.

V COMBINATION LAMP some I STARTERHQIDEB g I @Engeiie Mount VernomNQY. I Application February 6, 194a, s'eria No. 429.716

, I I A lClaim. (01.173-328) II I My invention relates too. new and improved 1 showsa plate! of the support or flirt ure type which has two metal prongs projecting from plate; 6 is,made*or metal or anyv other. suitable each endthereoi. Such lamps areeicemplifled material. I

by thefamiliar fluorescent lamps. I; Ascrew 8,. which has. a head 8a, hasits shank The principal objects of the invention are. to 4 extending through a bore of the plate 6 and provide a device which can be manufactured and througha vertical recess of the casing 2 of the assembled at low'cost; in'which the lamp holder, lamp holder. Said vertical recess is Ueshaped is reversible relative to the starter-holder, so that in horizontal cross-section and it is open at the the casing of the starter switchican be inserted; n fight-hand face or tront'face of the holder casthe contacts of the starter-holder are located in- Fig. 3 v I wardly in asingle casing, and preferably in the he shank of the. screw 8 can be passed same plane; in which the contacts of the starterthrough either oneof the verticalbores 30; and holder are connected to the body of'the starter- 3|, which are provided in a rib or flange of the the starter-holder; in' which the body. of the g shank of the screw 8 is passed through the verstarter-holder has only a single cover; and. in I f tical boretl, when the holder casing, 2 is in the which it is impossible for the electrician to make posi i n-sh n i e dai ank of the. a wrong installation of the device. I g'o'screw Sisp d through the bore 30, whnthe Numerous other objects of my invention will holder casing 2 and its extension 3 are reversed,

be stated in the annexed description and drawas shown in'Fis. 11. A nut 9 holds thescrew 8 thereof. I 7 I 'Ihe starter-holder .l and its-.extension' ia have Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one of the improved 251 a single top cover ,39, as shown in Flg. 6. This devices, the representation or the support to; cover 39 covers theopen top of starter-holder l which the improved devicejls connected; being I 1 and its'extension la, 'Saldtoncover is also shown insection. I y made oiinsulating material and it is releasably Fig. 2 is a side view, of Fig. Ljtaken at'the. clamped to the extension la. by means of the nut right-hand side of Fig. 1. I I 9. This cover 39 flts within the starter- Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line-L 9 of holder land its extension Ia, and, the inner face Fig. 1, the starter casing beingomitted. I of said cover 39 abuts suitablestop-shoulders of Fig. 4 is a top viewof Fig. 1, with thetopi cover said starter-holder I and extension. la.

I I Referrlngt0Fig. f4,;the extension la is pro- Fig. 5 is a side view, takenat theleit-hand side vided with vsuitable recesses, in which separate of Fig. 1, with the vertical cover ot, the holder metal contactposts 32 and 33' are located. These I I v i contact, posts 32and33are respectively provided Fig. 6 is a sectionalvlew on the line .of with 'pairs'of bores ,iland 52; 'Ihe respective Fig. 1. p I shanks "26 and2'! of the screws and 25 are 10- Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 'l- 1 of dated in vertical boresof the metal necks of the I Fig. 6. i I g contact posts 3| and 32. Said necks fit non;-turn Fig. 8 is a plan view on the line li ter Fig. l. ably in vertical bores of extension la. These Fig. 9 is a side elevation of Flg.-8.- bores may be threaded .or unthreaded. I Saldcon- Fig. 10 is a'sectional view on the lin inf-l0 o1 tacts 3i and 32may be flat plates. The shanks Fig. 4. I I I 26. and 21 then extend through verticalbores of Fig. 11 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, showing extension la. The headoi' the screw 25 ha the the lamp holder reversed relative to the socketordinary diametral. slot, so that said screw 25 holder. f V I can be app ed or r m ed by me 'o the o di- The socket comprises a starter-holder I, which nary screw driver. Thehead oi' the' screw 24 is is made of any suitable insulating material. provided .with recesses of any special type,-so starter-holder I has an integral rear enlarged 'that it.require's. the use 01 a special type of tool extension la. 'I'he'lamp holdercomprises a holdor" screw driver: in order toremove the same. er casing 2, which has a depending reduced lamp- Fig. 4 shows that the shanks ofthe screws 24 and holding extension 3. Said .casinglzand itsfex- 2t arelocated in corresponding endbores and tension 3 are also made of insulatingmat'erial. 52 o1 .the contact posts 22 and 33. When. the

bores 52 also partially intersect. These bores and 52 of the contact posts 32 and 33 register with respective corresponding bores 5|a and 52a of the extension Ia of the starter-holder I.

The shanks 23 and 21 engage the walls of the internally threaded bores of the heads I10. and IM of the metal contact springs I1 and |3. The screws 24 and 25 hold the lamp-holder 2-3 and the starter-holder releasably assembled. The lower end of each of these contact Springs I1 and I3 has the familiar hook shape, in order to releasably retain the longitudinal prongs P of the metal head 5 of the lamp-envelope 4. These prongs P are parallel to the axis of the cylindrical envelope 4. The front vertical wall of the extension la is provided with recesses l5 and I6, which have walls l5a'and lfia. The contact springs l1 and I8 are located at opposite sides of the rib I9, which is integral with the body of extension 3. Said rib has a top enlargement 2| and a'bottom enlargement 23. At its front, the bottom of saidrib has'a tapered end |5b, which is above the bottom end wall of extension 3. The resilience of springs H and I8 maintain them normally in contact with enlargement 23, as shown in Fig. 5. The walls |5a and |3a have inlets at their bottoms, so that the prongs P can be pushed upwardly into said recesses I5 and I6. For example, one of the prongs P is pushed upwardly through the bottom inlet opening between the hook-shaped end of spring H and rib enlargement 20, while the other prong P is below the bottom inlet of the opening I8. The envelope 4 and its cap 5 can then be turned until the other prong P is forced into its final position. The final positions of the prongs P are indicated in broken lines in Fig. 6. Each prong P is then held releasably by one of the springs I1 and I8, which is then slightly separated from enlargement 2D.

The heads Ila and |8a are integral with the prongs l1 and I3, and said heads Fla and |8a I have tongues which enter suitable recesses which are provided in the enlargement 2| of the rib I3. The outer ends of the heads lla' and Mia also enter recesses in integral beads 22- and 23 which; areprovided in the transverse vertical walls of the casing 3.

The heads Fla and |3a thus held firmly in position, by means of their engagement with the shanks 26 and 21 of the holding screws.

The extension 3 is provided with a cover 33, also made of insulating material, which is'connected to the rib l3, by means of drive screws 30, which enter suitable aligned bores of the rib I3. The cover 33 is thus non-removable.

Referring to Fig. 4, the metal contact post 32 is integral with a metal forked contact member 34. A part of one of the legs of saidcontact member 34 is in partial registration with a vertical opening l2 which is formed in the horizontal wall of the starter-holder Another metal contact post '33 is fixed to the front end of the starter-holder by meansof a screw 35a. Said contact post 35 is integral with a forked metal contact member 31, whose legs are in partial registration with an opening H which is provided in the horizontal wall of thecasing l. i

As shown in Fig. 10, the screw 35a has a shank 35 which is screwed into the tapped bore of ametal bushing 50, which is located in a suitable vertical bore at the front end of the starter-holder As shown in Fig. 3, this bushing 50 has a bottom head H of square shape, which fits in a corresponding square opening of the starter-holder I, so that the bushing 50 cannot turn relative to the starter-holder The top portion of said bushing 50 is of cylindrical shape, and the top cylindrical wall of said bushing 53 is enlarged into rivet-like shape, as shown in Fig. 10, sothat said rivet-like head firmly engages the contact post 33, both mechanically and electrically. The front end of starter-holder is provided with a depending extension In, whose outer wall is cylindrical, and whose inner wall is of square cross-section. The rectangular contact posts 32, 33 and 36 fit snugly in corresponding recesses of extension H1 and of starter-holder l The starter switch is of the conventional type, and it is located in a switch casing I. The switch casing I has the usual prongs Ia which are inserted respectively into the openings l2 and H, to be engaged by the notches or recesses N of the contact members 34 and 31. The horizontal wall of the starter-holder I has a cylindrical recess R, in which the upper part of the switch casing 1 of the starter is located. The prongs la are first inserted into the openings I2 and I4, so that said prongs are spaced from said notches N. and the switch casing 1 is then turned so as to springthe pins la into final position, in which each pin la is engaged between the outer notched ends of the legs of the forked contact members 34 and 31. This provides a species of bayonet joint connection for the prongs la.

The two leads of the power circuit are connected on the job respectively to the contact posts 33 and 36 by means of the heads of the screws 25 and 35a. A vertical wall of the starter-holder is provided with suitable recesses Ra for the entry of said leads. .These recesses Ra are shown in Figs. 4 and 9.

' special type of screw driver which is necessary to operate the screw 24. The electrical connection between the forked contact members 34 and 31 is made through the conventional starter switch in switch casing I.

In many cases, it is necessary to reverse the holder casing 2 relative to the extension la, as illustrated in Fig. 11, in order to permit convenient insertion and'removalof the switch casin I. For example, it will be noted that in Fig. 1 it is necessary to remove the lamp 4, inorder to remove the switch casing I, which extends through an opening in the metal fixture plate 3. The arrangement shown in Fig. 11 is frequently much more convenient, because the switch casing 1 can be inserted and removed without removing. the lamp 4.

In such event, the holder casing 2 is reversed at the factory, in the manner shown in Fig. 11. The screw 3 is passed at the factory through the selected hole 33, in order to assemble the casings and 2 in the reverse position which is shown in Fig. 11. In such case it is still unnecessary and impossible for the electrician on the Job to manipulate the screw 24. The screw 24 remains electrically and mechanically connected at all times to the contact spring H, as previously described.

By. utilizing the non-turnable bushing 53, which clamps the contact post 36 in a rivet-like manmaking it much more ner, it is unnecessary to provide the contact post 36 and its integral contact member 31, with a special clamping cover made of insulating material, which otherwise would be required andwhich would have to be held in place by special drive screws or the like. Likewise, the use of such suitable means, such as respective visual marking means or the like.

Therefore numerous changes and omissions can be made from the preferred embodiment disadditional insulating cover made it necessary to locate the head of the screw 35a externally of the casing l, which was an added hazard, and such exposed live part had to be insulated "by means of sealing wax or other sealing composition. According to the improvedconstruction,

the screw 35a is located wholly within an insulat ing casing.

A single cover 39 thus covers and protects all the liveparts, and this eliminates the necessity of using insulating cement or the like.

Likewise, the terminal contact posts 36 and.

32 are located in the same horizontal plane, thus on the job.

easy to wire up the device The cover 39 does not serve to'fix any of the 7 contacts to starter-holder l or its extension la.

The contact post 32 or the jsc'rew 24 may be releasably or permanently locked to the extension Ia, at the factory, in any'suitable manner, so as to prevent the electrician on the job from connecting a wire to said contact post 32, or to said screw 24. The special configuration of the head of screw 24 is one means of releasablylocking the same to the starter-holder I at the factory, in order .to secure said result. The screw 24 is therefore designated as .a factory-locked screw.

The contact posts 33, 36 and 32 are respec- 1 tively designated as the first, second, and third contact posts. The first and second contact posts 33 and 36 are relatively longitudinally disposed, and the first and third contact posts 32 and 33 are relatively laterally disposed. The second andthird contact posts 36 and 32 are connected to each other through'the starter switch in switch casing I. I

The invention covers not only the complete combination shown herein, but the sub-combinations and also the novel element or elements 01' said complete combination.

For convenience, the device is designated the description and claims, with respect'to the position" shown in the drawings, in which the longitudinal axis of the starter-holder is horizontal, andin which the longitudinal axis of the lamp-holder is vertical. can be used in any position. p g

It is preferred to form the heads of the screws 24 and with respective different shapes, so that the head of the screw 25 interfits with a screw driver or other tool, which does not. inter fit with the head of the screw 24. However, said screws 24 and 25 maybe distinguished by any owever,. the device are perpendicular to each other. -tive reversed positions of the lamp-holder which is vertical.

closed herein, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

When the starter-holder and the lamp-holder are assembled, their respective longitudinal axes In the respecare shown in Fig. 1 and Fig; 11, the same lateral end-face of the casing'of the lamp-holder abuts the casing of the starter-holder. In each said position the casing l of the starter-switch -I claim; n a

In'combination, a starter-holder casing and a lamp-holder casing, each casing being made of insulating material, each said casing having a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axes being perpendicular to each other, said casings abutting each other at respective abutting faces, said abutting faces being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the starter-holder casing, said starterholder casing having a first contact and a sec- I 0nd contact and athird contact located therein, said second contact and said third contact having respective contact membersextending therefrom and located in said starter-holder casing; said contact members being located and shaped to contact with the terminals of a starter switch, said lamp-holder casing having contact springs which are shaped and located to contact respectively with the respective prongs of a lamp, said contact springs being respectively conductively 'fixed to the first contact and to the third contact by respective metallic connecting members,

said metallic connecting members being located in respective bores of said starter-holder casing,

said second contact being fixed directly to said" starter-holder casing by a respective connecting device, said lamp-holder casing, having a perforated wall which has perforations for admitting said prongs, said perforatedwall being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said lamp-holder casing, said'lamp-holder casing being attachable to said starter-holder casing in two respective opposed positions which have an angular separation of .180, fastening means which fasten said casings to each other, said first contact and said second contact and said starter-holder casing having respective pairs of bores, each said pair of bores being aligned with the longitudinal axis of said starter-holder casing, said connecting members being insertable through either bore'of said contacts, said fastening means being insert- I able in either bore ofsaid starter-holder cas- EUGENE R.'KULKA. 

